Juniors travel in numbers

ATHLETICS:IRELAND WILL be represented by its largest ever contingent at the 12th IAAF World Junior Athletics Championships, which get under way in Bydgoszcz, Poland, today and continue through to Sunday.

The record entry of 22 is spread across a range of events, including the junior men's 4x400-metre relay and the junior women's 4x100-metre relay.

Leading the men's relay team, and also going in the individual 400 metres, is Dublin's Brian Gregan, who recently improved the Irish junior record to an impressive 46.70 seconds. The Tallaght runner is one of the first in action when the competition starts this morning.

Gregan will be joined in the relay by Curtis Woods, Billy Ryan and Jason Harvey, who have also been displaying fine form in recent weeks.

The Waterford sprinter Niamh Whelan will have a particularly busy few days as she is set to compete in the 100 metres, 200 metres and 4x100-metre relay.

Her Ferrybank club is also represented by the hurdlers Mairead Murphy and Jessica Barr as well as by Ryan in the men's relay.

Ireland's race-walking tradition is maintained by the involvement of Shercock AC's Paul Fitzpatrick and Laura Reynolds from Mohill.

There is also a good spread of athletes in the women's distance running. Ciara Everard competes over 800 metres, Sara Treacy and Ciara Mageean at 1,500 metres, and Tara Jameson in the 3,000-metre steeplechase.

"This is fantastic to have so many junior athletes involved at such a high level," said Athletics Ireland's director of coaching Gary Ryan.

"We are looking to these athletes establishing good performances on a world stage. We have sent such a large team due to the fact that we can now boast a very strong junior set-up in the country."

These should prove the most competitive championships so far, the IAAF announcing a record entry of 183 countries, a particularly notable figure considering the IAAF has a total of 213 member federations.

IRISH TEAM (World Juniors, Bydgoszcz, Poland 8th-13th, July)

MEN:Brian Gregan (Tallaght AC) 400m 4x400m; Jason Harvey (Lagan Valley) 4x400m; Curtis Woods (Lagan Valley) 4x400m; Billy Ryan (Ferrybank) 4x400m; Cathal Owens (Leevale) 4x400m; Paul Fitzpatrick (Shercock AC) 10k walk; Colin Quirke (Crusaders) shot; Barry Pender (St Abban's) high jump.

WOMEN:Niamh Whelan (Ferrybank) 100m, 200m 4x100m; Joan Healy (Bandon) 100m 4x100m; Mairead Murphy (Ferrybank) 100m hurdles 4x100m; Sandra Lawler (Celbridge) 100m hurdles 4x100m; Stephanie Creaner (Celtic DCH) 4x100m; Hannah Lewis (North Down) 4x100m; Ciara Everard (Kilkenny City Harriers) 800m; Tara Jameson (Inbhear Dee) 3,000m steeplechase; Sara Treacy (Moynalvey/ Kilcloon) 1,500m; Ciara Mageean (City of Lisburn) 1,500m; Kalyn Sheehan (Ferrybank) 400m hurdles; Jessica Barr (Ferrybank) 400m hurdles; Laura Reynolds (Mohill) 10k walk; Pamela Hughes (Westport) high jump.